I Will Be Strong
by Black-Fox49
Summary: Feliciano x Ludwig.. Some of it is in Feli's diary, some first person Feli and first person Ludwig. Feli is being badly bullied by Gilbert and the rest of the 'Bad Touch Trio'. Ludwig, Gilbert's brother, is new to the school and has heard about the bullying going on. But he didn't know the extent of it... Rated T for Lovi's bad mouth and some violence. GerIta


**((This is from Italy's POV, although I may occasionally use other POV's as the story progresses. It's a GerIta fluff/hurt and comfort. He is a junior in High School at this time, it's modern day. Sorry to Prussia France and Spain lovers, but I will be using the bad touch trio...**  
**Human names, in case you don't know: Feliciano Vargas (North Italy), Lovino Vargas (Romano/South Italy), Gilbert (Prussia), Antonio (Spain), Francis (France), Ludwig B. (Germany), Arthur Kirkland (Britain), Alfred Jones (America)~ Italian translations at the bottom!))**

* * *

April 1, 2013

Today was the first day back to school from spring break. I have to say that si, I do miss spring break because I got to play soccer all I wanted, and cook, and sleep, and really anything. But I did end up staying home the whole time. I am still to _impaurito _to really go anywhere I don't have to, because what if I run into one of them? For some reason they just don't want to be friends with me... I try so hard to be friends with them, but no matter how _cura _I try to be it just does not seem to be enough. But maybe if I invite them to dinner, they might be nicer? Everyone gets happy when they eat my cooking, si~? Anyway, at least I didn't get beat up today.

That's not all, though. When I got to my english class today, there was a new student! He was just sitting in the back of the room, and he was where I usually sit so I just sat next to him. It was kind of funny how he sat, so straight. The whole class, he didn't say anything until the teacher said to him, 'Excuse me what is your name?' And he sat up even straighter somehow and said his name was Ludwig. His voice is deeper than most of the boys here, and especially much deeper than mine. Maybe I'll talk to him _domani_? I would have today, but I got stopped by Francis at the end of class. It was just the usual of course, except this time it was even worse because he was talking so loudly...and I knew the teacher heard... but no one did anything to stop him. Francis just went on telling me that I was worthless, that anybody like me wasn't welcome near him... But that's okay, because I don't like him anyway! So when he stopped I walked away and kept smiling because I can be _robusto _just like Lovino!

~Feliciano

April 2, 2013

I finally got to talk to Ludwig today! I said hi and he said hello. I asked him a bunch of questions, and I found out that he just moved here from Germany and that his brother already goes to this school. But it was kind of scary when he told me his brother was Gilbert... That's not that bad though, because Ludwig is nice anyway. When I told him my name, he frowned a little bit for some reason, but I don't really know why. I asked him to sit by me at lunch, and he said yes! But maybe it would have been better if he hadn't, though..

When I sat down at my usual table, Kiku was already there. He was drawing again, so we started talking about the new manga he wanted to make when I saw Ludwig looking confused, walking around. I waved to him and said loud, 'Ciao, Mr. Ludwig, over here~!' He saw me and walked over, sitting down next to me. Kiku said hello, and Ludwig introduced himself. I was happy they were getting along, but my happiness was interrupted when a certain albino came over and took a seat on the other side of me.

"Oh, Feliciano, I see you've made a new friend, huh?" Gilbert poked me in the cheek while he talked. I flinched, and I felt the color flush from my face.

"S-si, Gilbe-" My sentence didn't finish though because he hit me hard in the gut. Gilbert laughed, "Ha, you are so weak! Definantly not as awesome as me!" I held onto my stomach because it kind of hurt, and Gilbert just kept chattering and poking me.

Ludwig, who was still sitting beside me, started to sit up straight and tall. "Gilbert, why are you bothering this boy?" He asked Gilbert.

"Because he is a nasty little ho-" This time, it was Gilbert's sentence that didn't finish- and it was cut off by my brother Lovino.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE GILBERT!? YOU BASTARD!" Lovino continued to yell, switching between Italiano and english.

The whole time, Ludiwg just kept straightening his back, until he jumped up, so that he was about eye level with Gilbert. He leaned forward, so that Gilbert could see the _collera _in his eyes. "I do not believe you have any business here, bruder. So unless you want me to tell Opa..." Those words seemed to get to Gilbert, because he walked off grumbling something.

I think maybe this means Ludwig is going to be _mi amici_?

~Feliciano

April 4th, 2013

I didn't go to school today. Yesterday was just _orribile_ and I don't want to go back yet!

MY first class, algebra 2, wasn't that bad. That is except for Francis- who sits a few seats behind me- kept trying to hit the curl in my hair with various projectiles. After that I had world history, which was sort of good. English was when everything went bad. _Bene_, after English.

~Feliciano

_**Flashback to English!**_

At the end of class, I managed to skillfully drop my binder right as I picked it up, and papers went flying everywhere. I am so _goffo_! While everywhen else ignored me, Ludwig helped me pick everything up. But by the time it was all put back the halls were empty, all the other students already gone off to their next classes. Ludiwg, who had math next, waved a goodbye then immeadiatly ran went down the hall in the direction of his classroom. I was a little less rushed, because I only had study hall next and the teacher dosn't get angry with us if we're late for that. So I went in the same direction, but walked at a leisurely pace.

Each classroom I passed had a number of students in it- and each class had some considerably bored students in it. I saw Alfred, and his brother...what was his name?...asleep in one of the science rooms while the teacher was writing notes on the board. In the next room-another science lab, but this one for advanced students- was Arthur, who was boredly stirring a spoon through some kind of concoction in a bowl. Seeing the liquid in the bowl.. I suddenly needed to pee. The bathroom was a few doors down from where I was, so I briskly walked over and reached to open the door-

When someone else opened it out from inside. I felt my breath stick in my throat when my hazel eyes were met with blood red ones. The boy in the doorway was Gilbert, and he seemed suprised to see me, too, for a moment. But it wasn't long before his voice came between his slowly grinning lips, and before the words even came out I knew exactly what he was going to say, "Oh, well a if it a isn't my a favorite little a gay a friend~" He added plenty of extra 'A's into the sentence, pathetically trying to mock my accent. He shoved a hand against my chest, forcing me backward into the lockers on the other side of the hall. The albino's grin got really wide when he said, "Let's a play a game." His arm pulled back, and before I had time to react, his fist came down hard on my nose. I yelped in pain, reaching my hands up to my face. Hot blood dripped from my nose onto my fingers. Gilbert then kicked me with his high-top shoes right in the gut, and I doubled over. He took that as an opportunity to kick me in the side, sending me slamming to the ground with a loud thud.

So of course, while he continued to nail me with kick after kick, I really only had one option. So I started screaming-loud. Bloody murder, as Arthur would call it. I heard doors opening, teachers and students mumbling...then those same doors clicking back shut, with no one who bothered to come to my aid.

"Who's gonna save you now, pretty boy?" Gilbert laughed, still landing painful hits against my back.

This left me with only one person to yell for- Lovino was in his Sophmore classes downstairs, so he wasn't going to be of help. And Kiku was even quieter that me.

"L-Ludwig..!" I said it quietly at first, then yelled it, "LUDWIG! H-HELP ME!" I screamed it over and over, until Gilbert's kicking stopped.

He spat on me, "I'll get you later. You're just lucky you're friends with my not-awesome brother." He pounded off down the hall, leaving me on the ground bloody and bruised. My eyes were bloodshot, so I just kept them squinted closed while tears ran down my cheeks. I just lay there for a minute, wondering if Ludwig even heard me. Then, coming from the same direction in which Gilbert had just run off, I heard loud pounding footsteps. I braced myself, thinking it was Gilbert come back for more. But when the bootsteps stopped right next to me, rather than punching and kicking I felt someone wiping fabric against my bloody nose.

"Feliciano? Feliciano can you hear me? You're going to be alright..." I heard his voice, and I felt a small smile start to curl the corners of my mouth up.

"L-Ludiwg, you c-came!" It was hard to talk- it felt like Gilbert had kicked every bit of air out of my lungs, and my throat hurt from screaming.

He just shushed me, "You sound horrible. C'mon, let's get you downstairs." Ludwig put one of his arms under my knees, his other holding my back. My chin was rested against his shoulder. I heard the doors opening up again, but this time they didn't close and no one said anything. I could almost feel their eyes on me, but that was fine. I was safe now because Ludwig saved me. His rythmic rubbing of his hand against my back soon sent me to sleep, listening to him whisper about how he was sorry, so sorry...

_**end Flachback!**_

April 5th, 2013

(Morning)

When I woke up to get ready for school today, Lovino locked me in my bedroom. He said he didn't want me to go to school! Why would he say that? I need to go to school so I can learn and talk to Kiku and Ludwig. I asked Lovi to let me out very nicely but he said no. So now I'm stuck in here. There's nothing to do! I wonder if I'm missing any important schoolwork?

~Feliciano

_**Out of diary, first-person in Italy**_

I closed the journal, having nothing really left to write. There really isn't anything to do in my room. Of course it's got posters and it looks nice, but I spend so much time in the kitchen and elsewhere that I never worried about putting something to do in here. Even the computer is downstairs, along with the little t.v. Nonno Rome is still sleeping, and he probably won't be up for a while so he can't let me out. I went over to the window and tried to pry it open, but the dried paint and old wood didn't allow me to do so. School started about an hour ago, I think. The clock on my wall told me that second period started about seven minutes ago. No, now eight...now nine...

I went on counting like that- I managed to reach twenty three- until the doorbell rang. I intinctively ran for my door and attempted to open it. But of course it didn't open, it was still locked shut. So I ran back to my window, trying to position myself in such a way that I would see who was at the door below me. Much to my dismay, though, the little roof-type-thing above the porch was in my way. Watching for a minute or two, all I could really see was a large Hummer parked next to Nonno's little Italian-made vehicle. I couldn't really think of who's it could be, though, until a blonde head walked down the steps of the porch and towards the vehicle.

It was Ludwig! I pounded the palm of my hands against the window, but had to stop when Nonno started moaning in the next room. He was tired, I shouldn't wake him up, I thought. But indeed Ludwig must have heard, because he slowly turned back around looking rather confused. I waved my hands back and forth, trying to get him to look up at me, but he stepped back onto the porch and knocked on the door a few times.

"Hellooo?" I heard his muffled yell through the door.

Deciding that Nonno wouldn't wake up anyway, I yelled back, "Ludwiiiig~! I'm upstairs! You can come in!" I remembered that Lovi always left the front door unlocked, and was suddenly rather grateful for that. The front door clicked open, and I heard Ludwig's boots walking up the stairs.

"Uh...? Feliciano? Which room are you in?" He was stopped in the hallway, so I lightly knocked on my own door. He opened it up and stepped in.

I jumped up and hugged him, ignoring the aching pains everywhere. He slightly tottered backwards, obviously suprised, but regained his composure. "Feliciano, are you in your u-underwear!?"

Steppping back, I looked at myself, and yes it was true that I was solely in my tri-striped Italy boxers. "Si~!" I chirped, giggling a little bit. Ludwig's face seemed to turn just a little pink. He started to stand up straighter.

"Und what are you doing locked in your bedroom?" He wasn't really looking at me while he asked, he was looking around my room. To be honest it looked more like a girl's room than a boy's. There were posters on the wall of Tiziano Ferro, Matteo Brancaleoni, and Frabrizio Moro. The Italian soccer emblem was on the wall under a large board full of pictures taken from disposable cameras. Each picture had people smiling big, even Kiku who was in a bunch of them. There were a ton from when I took Kiku on a family trip to Rome, where he's eating like there's no tomorrow. Ludwig looked closely at that one in particular, sliming and lauaghing, "I didn't know Honda would eat like that."

In response I nodded also smiling big. "He a loves Italian food! Whenever he a visits my kitchen is very a busy~" But again, it didn't seem like Ludwig was really listening. He was definantly looking at me, but not listening. My smile curled down a bit, as I raised my hand up to my nose. "I-It's a not that bad, is it?" Tears started to sting the corners of my bruised left eye.

Ludwig rapidly shook his head no. "Not at all, Feli. Er, Feliciano." His back was like a lamp post now, it was so straight.

"You can call a me Feli~" I told him, letting my hand down by my side. I flinched a bit at the quick movement- my shoulder was still sore.

Ludwig sighed, "I thought I should apologize. For my bruder, I mean. He can be a bit harsh sometimes." He looked me right in the eye, his mouth flat. I just gave him a big grin.

He seemed to be a bit taken back from my smile, so I said, "Si, but it's not your fault at all, Mr. Ludwig!" I skipped over to my dresser, taking out a pair of shorts and slipping them on over my boxers. "Would Ludwig like to go play soccer?" I asked him, motioning towards the big grassy area in front of my house (and behind, and to the sides...).

"Are you sure? Maybe you shouldn't be running around so much like.. that, er bruised I mean. You should be-" I cut his off, grabbing hold of his hand with one of mine, a soccer ball held by the other.

"Don't be silly~ Excericise is the best medicine!" I didn't bother to put a shirt on- it was to nice out. Dragging him out the front door, I dropped the ball on the ground while I put my shoes on. "Just don't be to harsh, si?" Without any warning, I kicked the ball, sending it flying towards a makeshift soccer field. I ran after it, while ludwig was still trying to get his jacket off at the porch.

When I got to the field, the ball under my foot, Ludwig was just running up behind me. "Feliciano, how do you run so fast!?" He asked me when he finally got to the field.

"I looove a to play soccer!" I didn't really answer his question, but he didn't have time to ask it again because I ran off towards the farther goals with the ball. He sprinted after me- bad choice! He ran out of breath before he even got to me. I kicked the ball into the goal, clapping my hands together. "I a did it~!" I was breathing a bit heavy, but I was definantly feeling better than I did on Wednesday. Ludwig smiled at me, his hands on his knees as he tried to catch his breath.

"You are *huff* a good soccer play, Feliciano!" He stood up, and jogged over to get the ball from the goal. "But I'm ready now, so let's play!" Under his coat, he had apparently been wearing a white polo with the German flag on the shoulder.

~~~~~~~~~~~About two hours later~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ludwig and I were both laying on our backs on the grass next to each other. Laughing and grinning, we had had the best time playing soccer. Both of us were still smiling and laughing and repeating parts of the game to each other, taking big deep breaths between each sentence.

"Und remember how the ball hit everywhere _but _the goal," Ludwig took a big gulp of air before cotinuing, "und you just couldn't figure out how to kick it in?" We both laughed. Not even the pain in my chest could stop this amazing time I was having.

"Si~!" I looked over at Ludwig, who's eyes were closed but he was still grinning huge. "Are you a hungry? I could make us lunch~"

"Sure, but I'll help," He stood up, offering me a hand to help me up. I took it, and we walked back to the house. But as soon as we stepped inside...

"Oh... Feliciano... I think we need to shower." The smell, I have to admit, was horrible. Like the entire Italian soccer league had just played a game; then had a party then played another game. It was not only sweat, but grass and the spices from the kitchen mixed in, too.

"Si, I'll show you where it is~" I brought him to the guest restroom, the only one besides mine and Romano's which was upstairs. "The towels are a in the closet there, and you can use the soap and a everything. One second..." Running back to my room, I got the biggest shirt out I could find (Ludwig is much bigger than me) and a pair of red basketball shorts. The shirt had a picture of a tomato on it. I went back to the bathroom, and handed the clothes to Ludwig. "Sorry, it's a all I could find.."

He took them, said thank you, and closed the door to shower. I went up to my bathroom and did the same.

**About ten minutes later: Ludwig's POV!**

I took a quick military style shower, just quick enough to get off the dirt and stink. I dried off and put on the clothes Feliciano had given to me. The shirt was a bit humorous- I had had a feeling the boy had liked food, but a tomato t-shirt? Once I was out of the bathroom, I wasn't really sure what to do, so I went back upstairs to Feloiciano's room. He was still in the shower- I could hear him singing some song in a different language. He had never told me where he was from, but I had an inkling he was Italian judging from the posters and the song. Poking around, I found plenty of cookbooks and random romance novels. They were all in what must have been Italian, so I wasn't really sure what anything said. But there was one thing I found that (for the most part) was in english. I opened up the small, leather-bound notebook. It was in Feliciano's handwriting, which I recognized from english class. The page I opened it up to was from January 8th of this year. After skimming over it, one paragraph in particular caught his eye,:

_Why do they have to be so mean to me? I came out this morning. To everyone in the whole school. Well, sort of. I really only told Alfred, but maybe that wasn't a smart choice. He told everyone, which maybe would not have been so bad if I had known what would happen. By the end of soccer practice today I've gotten beaten up twice. Maybe I'll just quit the soccer team. But the worst part is that nobody, not even the teachers seem to have the urge to stop them! My nose really hurts. I don't like Gilbert! He's so scary, and he hits really hard. I wish he would stop, I don't know what I did wrong. And Francis' words hurt to. I'm not that bad, am I? Maybe I am, though. Lovino is mad because I won't tell him who hurt me but I don't want to tell him because then they might hurt him to. Maybe if I was gone it would be better?_

My mind was reeling. Had my brother really been making Feli think things like that? I turned the pages again, skimming until I got to January 14th, only a few days later.

_I'm done! I can't do it anymore! Why do they think I'm so dumb? They act like I don't know what they're doing to me!_ _I just wish someone would tell me I wasn't dumb. Becuase I'm not, am I? I don't think I am, I get good grades and I can cook and I know that what they are doing is bad. And now Francis and Gilbert have started to make fun of how I talk. My accent may make me add a few a's, but not that many, right!? I locked myself in my room. Goodbye!_

My eyes widened after reading this one. Had Feliciano tried to..?

I couldn't continue my thoughts, though, because the singing stopped and the water turned off in the bathroom. I set the notebook back exactly where I had found it, then went downstairs to meet Feliciano in the kitchen.

****April 5th, 2013

(After school)

Ludwig and I had a _meraviglioso_ time today~! He helped me make lunch and it was really good, even though he put this weird meat in it that he called 'bratvwurst'. Then I taught him how to say some words in Italian, and he taught me some German! I learned how to say 'guten tag'(hello), 'servus'(goodbye), and 'freund'(friend)! **(I used google translate for the German...If it's wrong please tell me..) **And we're going to go to a soccer game together on Sunday, and we're inviting Kiku, too. I have to text Kiku now, ciao~

~Feliciano

**_Italy's POV_**

I pulled on my Italian soccer jersey, the one that matched Libor Kozák's on the Lazio Italia team. The game we were seeing today was the Columbus Crew against the Chicago Fire. I've never been to an american soccer game before, but I was definantly excited anyway! After I was ready to go, I met Kiku in the dining room downstairs while he was eating a large plate of pasta with alfredo sauce.

"Are you ready to go, Feri?" He asked me after finishing the mouthful he was on.

I nodded happily in response, "Si, Ludwig should a be here soon to pick us up~ What time did you say you'd a have to leave again~?" I sat down at the table across from him.

Kiku wiped his mouth with the napkin in front of him. "I think I'r reave after the first half." He had told me earlier he would need to leave early because there was a report he would need to write.

Right before I had a feeling he was going to ask for another plate of alfredo, there was a knock on the door which both me and Kiku went to answer. I got to it first, and opened it to Ludwig... And Gilbert. Then I did something I never thought I would ever do to anyone. I slammed the door shut, locked it, and ran upstairs to my room, locking that also. The door downstairs was opened, and booted feet walked in. There was some kind of commotion downstairs, as Gilbert's loud laughing rung up the stairs (and then there was some sort of strangling noise coming from the same throat). In response, I simply got into bed, tucking my knees into my chest and hugging a pillow in between.

I heard one pair of boot feet go up the stairs, accompanied by a voice. "Feliciano? Please come out! I promise he won't hurt you." He knocked on my door, repeatedly telling me that I needed to come outside and talk to Gilbert. I ignored him, sobbing into the pillow that my face was covered in.

_**Germany's POV**_

There was no way to describe how hirrble I felt as soon as I saw the look on Feliciano's face when he opened that door. It started as that crazy ear-to-ear grin, then, it slowly moved downwards.. until it was a horrified frown. The color from his usually pink-tinted cheeks gone. And those beautiful brown eyes widened in fear at the site of Gilbert's red ones. My heart dropped into my stomach the second that door closed.

Immeadiatly after practically killing Gilbert for laughing, I went up the stairs which creaked under my black army boots. I knocked on the door that I remembered as being Feliciano's, asking as nicely as I could muster for him to please open it. But the only response I received were muffled sobs coming from inside. Here was where I have to admit I really started to worry. According to what I'd read in his journal (which I felt horrible for even reading anyway), he'd tried to make everything stop before...What if he tried again?

"F-Feliciano! Open this door right now!" I yelled and begged, knocking on the door harder. This time the response was a mixed sound of sobbing and soft, frightened whimpers. _Great, now I've just gone and scared him, _I thought. I sighed, stopped knocking, and started talking quietly rather than yelling at him, "I'm sorry. Please Feli?" I sat down against the door, silently listening for a moment, until I heard the sound of ruffling sheets and bare feet hitting the hardwood floor. "Feli?" Standing up, I heard a drawer opening. _Wait.. What's he getting!? _"F-Feliciano, d-don't do-" The sound of pencil against paper. I sighed, extremely relieved. Soon, a little slip of paper was passed underneath the door.

_Why did you bring him here? I thought you were _mi amici, _Ludwig._

I read it, sighed, then said to him, "I thought he could apologize. And you know I don't speak Italian, Feli."

"M-my f-f-friend." His words came out cracked and between little chokes of tears.

I suddenly jumped a bit at a little tap on my shoulder, and turned to see Kiku, who put a little silver key into my hand- one that looked like it would fit into the lock on Feliciano's door. My head nodded in a silent thank you as Honda slinked silently back down the stairs leaving me with the key.

"Feliciano, may I come in?"

"No!" His feet padded back to his bed, where the bedsprings were heard whining as he evidently jumped onto the old mattress.

But I ignored his denial, putting the key into the lock on the knob. "I'm sorry, Feli, it's for your own good..." I turned the key, and opened the door.

There he was. Well, sort of. I could see the lump under a big blanket on the bed, which must have been him. So I sat down on the bed next to that lump. Rather than saying anything, I layed down and closed my eyes. After what seemed like forever, but was probably about five minutes, I felt the blanket next to me move. I didn't open my eyes, though. There was a tear that dripped down onto my arm that was closest to him. But I still kept my eyes closed. There was a soft, little hand that held onto the hand of that arm where the tear had fallen, and the springs of the bed cried again as a little Italian layed down next to me. There were little sobs still coming up from the lungs of that Italian, but no words. And then, after at least ten minutes of laying like that, there were words.

"I'm s-sorry, Luddy."

I felt my face tint a little at the nickname. "It's not your fault, Feli, it's mine."

His hand tightened on mine. "No, it's a mine. I'm a big fraidy cat. And I a do talk funny."

"You are not and you do not, and don't let anyone ever tell you that again. If they do, you can tell them that your _amici _will come and put some sense into them."

Feli laughed a little, and that made me smile. I sat up, my eyes opening to see Feliciano lying there, his eyes red, and his face a little pale. But his cheeks were pink. Definantly pink.

He smiled, and launched himself upwards, wrapping his arms around my neck and resting his chin on my shoulder. I rubbed my hand in little circles against his back, until his breathing slowed and little snores escaped his lips. I stood up, holding him like a little toddler and carried him downstairs. Gilbert just stared blankly at me, and Kiku gave a little smile. Lovino, who had also apparently come home, turned red like a tomato but stayed quiet. I carried Feliciano outside, and kept walking until we got to the little soccer field where we had played together. I sat down, resting against the back of one of the makeshift goals, which were built out of empty tomato and pasta boxes. I fell asleep like that, which Feliciano in my lap.

**Back to Feliciano**

My feet were moving crazy fast, dribbling a ball between them and running towards the goal on the other side of the field. There were other people there- they were everyone from school, and though each one was wearing a different jersey, they all seemed to have one common goal- to keep me away from the one I was running at. As I got closer, more people were shoving to try and stop me; Francis, who soon got a yellow card for trying to grab onto the ball with his hands; Antonio, who stood at a distance for a while, until slowly closing in and trying to get the ball, but his footwork was bad and I managed to avoid him. But the real problem emerged when I was close enough to try and shoot for the goal, and I was able to see the eyes of the goalkeeper. Red ones, with a sneering mouth that made my skin crawl. I knew I needed to make the goal, though, so I rose up my leg to kick the ball.

And there he was, grabbing my shoulders and throwing me to the ground. This time, there was no referee running up to give him a red card for foul play. It was just me and him on the field, with everyone in the stands watching. He kicked me, like I was the ball, and I screamed for someone, for _anyone _to help me. But still no one came. Tears and screaming and kicking and-

I was woken by someone tapping their palm against my cheek, and telling me to wake up. My eyes looked around, but I couldn't be awake because I was still in the soccer field. Although now I wasn't lying on the hard ground… In fact, was I in someone's lap? There was an arm around my waist, and I seemed to indeed be resting on a person's lap. I looked up to find the eyes of the person, and I found a welcome sight; it was Ludwig, looking back down at me. My heart, for some reason, seemed to skip a beat when I knew it was him who was there.

Then, suddenly the evening before came back to me- or maybe it was the same evening, I couldn't really tell, but it was definantly dark right then- everything. My right hand, which was already clinging onto his shirt, held on tighter as it balled into a fist. But the last thing I remembered was being on the bed with Ludwig, him soothing me to sleep.

Ludwig put both of his arms around me, and held me close. "Are you alright? I'm sorry; you must be surprised to be here," he mumbled. He was still obviously quite tired, and rightly so considering what had happened. I didn't say anything in response, just buried my face into his chest. Tears started coming from the corners of my eyes again, making little spots of moisture on his shirt. He started moving his hand in little circles on my back again, but I fought the urge to fall asleep.

"Ludwig?"

"Yes, Feliciano?"

"Why are you a mi amici?"

It was silent for a minute, while Ludwig seemed to be thinking out his answer.

"Well, because you are so nice." He simply told me.

But that wasn't enough. "Si, but a why do you think I am a nice?"

He thought again for a minute or two. "You are always happy. Und you have a wonderful smile, und your eyes could light up the world for eternity. You make good food, und you are so very good at soccer. Your hair is just the most unique thing in the world, but it is so perfect that way. Und how could I forget about how well you draw?" Ludwig pulled me back with his hands, and looked me right in the eyes that he seemed to love so much. "Even though you are bruised and sore, Feliciano, just look at you,"-he poked one side of my cheek, widening the grin that was already there- "You smile away und keep the whole world lit up. I don't understand how so many people could be mean to you when you are just so wonderful."

I threw my arms around his neck, hugging him with every bit of strength in me. "Ti amo, Ludwig."

"Feliciano, you know I don't speak-"

"I-I love you, Ludwig."

Silence again for a moment, then there were soft lips giving me a kiss on top of my head. "Ich liebe dich auch; I love you too."

**Translations:**

**impaurito-afraid**

**cura-kind/nice**

**domani-tomorrow**

**robusto-brave/strong**

**collera- anger/fury/rage**

**mi amici-my friend**

**orribile-horrible/awful**

**bene-well**

**goffo-clumsy/awkward**

**meraviglioso-wonderful/marvelous**


End file.
